QuadReal Property Group, the real estate investment arm of the British Columbia Investment Management Corp., is unveiling an updated strategic pathway to decarbonize its portfolio by 2050. “Sustainability has always been a key component of QuadReal’s investment and management strategies and is becoming more and more of a precondition for the long-term financial feasibility of […]
Responsible investing can drive stronger risk-adjusted returns and is increasingly being seen as a tool for prudent risk management, but defined contribution plan sponsors must understand target-date fund managers’ varying approaches to implementing environmental, social and governance factors into these funds. DC plan sponsors have myriad challenges to address when considering ESG investing options, including […]
As greater numbers of defined contribution pension plan members ask for environmental, social and governance-friendly investment options, plan sponsors will need to grapple with how to implement these solutions into their target-date funds. “From some studies that we’ve done, there’s definitely investor demand,” said Michael Greenberg, senior vice-president and portfolio manager at Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions, […]
As a fresh-faced elementary school student in 1977, Aaron Bennett wasn’t quite in the target demographic for the freshly launched Benefits Canada magazine. Still, Bennett — now the chief investment officer at Ontario’s University Pension Plan — has a pretty firm grasp on the concerns that would have occupied the minds of his predecessors as […]
The use of leverage by U.K. defined benefit pension plans with liability-driven investment strategies left them vulnerable to a sharp rise in bond yields in September, says Erwan Pirou, Canada chief investment officer of wealth solutions at Aon. “Many plans in the U.K. are using leverage in their LDI strategies . . . to reduce […]
The majority (89 per cent) of global institutional investors are implementing sustainable investing, compared to 76 per cent in 2021, according to a new survey by FTSE Russell. The survey, which polled nearly 200 asset owners with between US$1.1 trillion and US$3 trillion, found 44 per cent said they’re currently considering how to incorporate climate […]
Global institutional investors are overlooking climate-related opportunities in Africa, according to a new report by independent non-profit research group the Climate Policy Initiative. “The private sector needs to step up,” wrote the authors of the report. “It contributed only 14 per cent (US$4.2 billion) of total climate finance in Africa, much lower than in other […]
In 2022, normal was supposed to make a comeback — it didn’t. Just as supply chains began to stabilize, war broke out in Europe, China invaded Taiwan’s waters, inflation skyrocketed and central banks began hiking interest rates. While investments in renewable energy infrastructure reached new highs, economies that had been moving away from fossil fuels […]
Renewable energy assets can offer a lot to institutional investors’ portfolios, serving to lower risk opportunities over the long term compared to traditional energy assets while providing similar returns, said Saad Qais, head of U.S. asset management at Greencoat Capital, during a session at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2022 Risk Management Conference. This is true […]
The climate crisis puts the security of workers’ retirements at stake, said Patrick DeRochie, senior manager at Shift Action for Pension Wealth and Planet Health, during a session at the Canadian Investment Review‘s 2022 Risk Management Conference. Pension plan sponsors’ investment decisions and their ability to achieve adequate returns for their members depends on a […]